rus
DOI: 10.22184/1993-7296.FRos.2023.17.4.262.271
The laser, optical and optoelectronic technologies play an important role in the upgrade of a number of backbone sectors of the Russian national economy and its innovative development. Based on a brief overview of the products exhibited at PHOTONICS‑2023, an attempt was made to highlight the trends in the tech business in the field of photonics.
The laser, optical and optoelectronic technologies play an important role in the upgrade of a number of backbone sectors of the Russian national economy and its innovative development. Based on a brief overview of the products exhibited at PHOTONICS‑2023, an attempt was made to highlight the trends in the tech business in the field of photonics.
Теги: laser equipment market optical optoelectronic technologies photonics tech business trends оптические оптоэлектронные технологии рынок лазерного оборудования тренды технологического бизнеса фотоника
Photonics‑2023:
There Are More Lasers
N. L. Istomina 1, 2
Moscow Aviation Institute, National Research University, Moscow, Russia
Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography, Moscow, Russia
The laser, optical and optoelectronic technologies play an important role in the upgrade of a number of backbone sectors of the Russian national economy and its innovative development. Based on a brief overview of the products exhibited at PHOTONICS‑2023, an attempt was made to highlight the trends in the tech business in the field of photonics.
Keywords: photonics, tech business trends, laser equipment market, optical, optoelectronic technologies
Article received: June 13, 2023
Article accepted: June 20, 2023
The Photonics‑2023 exhibition has been finished, the awards have found their winners, the scheduled contracts and agreements have been concluded and signed in a solemn atmosphere, and now it is time to prepare new projects. With the benefit of hindsight, we will assess the exhibition results.
The exhibit display was located in the same Forum pavilion of the Moscow Expocentre, as in the previous year, but the exposition was increased by 20% and occupied an area over 3,000 square meters. Most of the 164 exhibitors were its permanent participants. However, there were also the newcomers – more than 20 companies that ensured the increased area. Some of the companies presented their products at the collective stands of corporations and foundations: Rostec State Corporation, Rosatom State Corporation, Zelenograd Development Corporation, Skolkovo Foundation, Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative “Photonics”. According to the promoters, the exhibition was visited by more than 8,000 people that showed an increase in the number of visitors by 37% compared to the previous year [1]. According to Denis Manturov, the minister of industry and trade, Russia is included in a very limited “club of leaders” in the field of photonics [2].
The range of presented products has not changed, but it is noticeable that there are more lasers. Among them there are the products of Russian companies and Chinese manufacturers that have come to Russia to replace the withdrawn European and American companies. The consumers have asked the questions related to the wavelength, beam parameter M², power energy per pulse, pulse recurrence rate and cost. However, few people think about their service life, and the service life of the systems where they are integrated also depends on this fact.
IRE-Polyus, being the leader of the Russian laser market, has presented a line of ytterbium fiber lasers of the YLS (Ytterbium Fiber Laser Systems) series with various power values that can be easily integrated into the machines for various purposes: from micromachining to welding and cutting. LASSARD presented its fiber and solid-state lasers, as well as the laser heads (quantrones) with transverse diode pumping that are made at the production site in Obninsk.
Avesta, the company based in Troitsk, produces the ultra-short pulsed lasers, both of fiber and solid-state types. Their lasers with femtosecond pulse duration have long gained the lead in their area. NordLase also presented its fiber-optics laser, namely a single-mode ytterbium fiber laser NL-YFLM‑1080–1000 with a M² beam parameter of about 1.2.
Polarus LLC is actively bringing the home-made fiber-optics lasers to the market with ultra-short pulses of picosecond duration. The target market for the application of Polarus LLC technology is material processing using the ultra-short laser pulses. The key tech feature is application of a highly doped phosphate optical fiber and pulsed electrical pumping of the master laser diode. For the first time, Scientific and Production Association “Soliton” participates in the exhibition with supercontinuum fiber sources covering the wavelength range from 350 to 2400 nm with an output power of up to 5 W.
Moreover, the Russian distributors offer the Russian and imported lasers to the prospective consumers. LLS supplies the laser diode modules and supercontinuum lasers. The Special Systems. Photonics company presents the single-frequency fiber-optics lasers, nanosecond ND : YAG and ND : YLF lasers, picosecond and femtosecond lasers, as well as the tunable supercontinuum sources. Despite the variety of technical peculiarities, all laser manufacturers strive to develop a tool for its future integration into the laser systems for production of other high-tech items.
There are a lot of different areas, therefore, there are a lot of different laser systems. Of course, the global trends are focused on material processing: over the past 35 years the average market growth rate for laser systems aimed at the material processing is 10.5%, the same indicator for machining is 3%. The sales dynamics for the laser micromachining systems demonstrates a steady growth. The largest volume of the Russian material processing market in 2022 is accounted for marking and engraving in the amount of 47 million US dollars [3].
The reason is not only in the strive to comply with the requirements of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 792 dated April 28, 2018 “On approval of the list of individual commodities subject to the mandatory labeling with the identification aids”. Such marking complies with the digital twin policy, process automation, industrial focus on recording and control of products and their components, technology digitalization, Internet of things. The lasers are used in all situations where speed and precision are required to solve many problems.
Photonics in Russia is a field for collisions of various opinions and creative concepts. While science is discovering new physical phenomena, the tech business is increasing its production facilities in close cooperation with it. The main business models used by the companies in this area are B2B (Business to Business) and B2G (Business to Government). This is the policy of Laser Center that holds strong positions in the market of micromachining tools. Its laser solutions, such as TurboMarker, can not only perform the marking and engraving functions, but can be easily integrated into the industrial process chains, allowing to develop the unique identification marks for quality control and counterfeit protection. The Lasers and Equipment Group of Companies has consolidated its position in the micromachining market in the field of laser-beam cutting, drilling, structuring, welding, cleaning, marking for microelectronics. The Central Research Institute of Laser Equipment and Technology, being a resident of the Skolkovo Foundation, is developing the PRO Laser system for laser processing of precious metals for the jewelry industry and GOZNAK enterprises.
Many companies have presented the laser systems for tasks in the field of welding, cutting, surfacing, and thermal strengthening. Numerous proposals have been concentrated in the field of laser metal cutting. It has turned out that due to the healthcare needs for pure oxygen during the pandemic, there was a shortage of oxygen required for industrial oxygen cutting of metals. Therefore, the laser ability to cut metal in the air is in demand. Such systems are demonstrated by LASSARD that applies the IRE-Polyus fiber-optics lasers in its portal-frame machines.
Surprisingly, the similar products, namely, the manual devices for laser cleaning of metal surfaces, are presented by several companies at once: Laser Center (TurboClean), Pokkels (IPG LightCLEAN), LASSARD (CLEANER CASE). Obviously, the marketing specialist of these companies are confident that there will be demand for their tools.
The exposition has also included the unique laser systems, for example, the FL-Cut-G‑4716 glass plate laser processing unit made by IRE-Polyus, or the MEL‑3.0 robot-assisted laser station by Thermolaser for local hardening, surfacing and alloying of products with the comprehensive internal and external surfaces, including the channel ones. Laticom has provided a laser system for thermal strengthening and welding based on the solid-state lasers. Its multiaxial positioning system of the laser emitter ensures processing of the parts with complex configurations. This equipment is applicable for repair of the three-dimensional molds, casting molds, dies and other tools made of metal and alloys. A closed form solution for the laser beam stabilization using a controlled mirror with a piezoelectric drive is demonstrated by Avesta.
Another exhibition feature has been frank admission of the fact that the photonic technologies are the driver of microelectronics, while simultaneously becoming the results of microelectronics, such as the quantum cascade lasers. These two technological areas are closely intertwined, and many issues are typical for both microelectronics and photonics, such as development of the materials engineering basis, high demand for various monocrystal materials (GaAs, GaN, InP, InSb, CdTe, ZnCdTe, ZnSe), complexity of dislocation-free growth of crystalline ingots. The published results of recent studies devoted to the growth of dislocation-free Ge crystals have shown that it is a promising material for nanosized electronic devices and integration of optical functions in the logic circuits.
Therefore, it has been reasonable for the large laser companies to present their equipment for scribing, marking, micromachining and soldering during the production of microelectronics devices: Laser Center, Lasers and Equipment Group of Companies.
GN Tech (GN Tech LLC), the Russian company, has demonstrated an expanded range of plasma processing units for materials as a preparatory process for cleaning the microelectronic, photonic and optical surfaces from residual organic and inorganic contaminants, improving the adhesion of thin-film coatings, soldering and unsoldering quality, and modifying the surface properties.
TIR PHOTONICS, a resident of the Skolkovo Foundation, has developed a production technology for the optical integrated circuits with a chip size (QPICs) of <1 cm2 and showed a prototype. The technology readiness level (TRL) of the product is equal to 5, i. е. the sample is made with the actual dimensions according to the semi-industrial (applied in the production conditions, but not being a part of the production process) technology.
Among the exhibitors were Gpixel, a global manufacturer of CMOS sensors for a wide range of applications, and RMT, a manufacturer of pocket-type thermoelectric cooling units for telecommunications, industry and other applications. The standard product range includes more than 2000 various types of thermoelectric coolers.
TechnoSpark, the Troitsk group that establishes the technological startups, has presented the projects of its budding companies. The CVD-Spark’s project is related to the synthesis technology based on the polycrystalline diamond by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The diamonds made by CVD-Spark are used as the heat sinks for power electronics and microelectronics. OptiSpark has the equipment and competencies of advanced design and application methods for the comprehensive optical coatings. Sometimes the application time of multilayer functional coatings to develop the optical elements with the desired properties for lasers, lenses or sophisticated light filters reaches 11 hours.
In addition to the diamond, sapphire also has chemical stability, heat resistance and mechanical strength. After the sapphire production market meltdown, many companies have come cropper. However, there are still those companies that have been able to grow complex original parts on the basis of sapphire. Such companies engaged in the growth of non-uniform sapphire products include Rostox-N CJSC. Among various samples in its exhibit booth, there are sapphire bearings and friction pairs. Similar products, but with much smaller overall dimensions that implies other conditions of use, are brought by BCG Production from Armenia. Its products are subject to a full cycle of mechanical and optical operations, including application of the antireflection and mirror coatings.
Certainly, the unique products that can be uneasily opposed to the competitors have also been demonstrated. For example, Tydex being a company well-known for its components and devices for a wide range of wavelengths (from the deep UV to terahertz range), has shown its THz-aspherical f-theta lenses, microwave radiation wire polarizers, THz high-pass filters, and a new model of a pulsed terahertz spectrometer THz TDS‑2.
Soliton has shown its competences in the development of intrafibrous Bragg gratings for application in the wavelength range of 900–1650 nm. The Belarusian companies have demonstrated their proficiency in application of the optical coatings and optical splicing based on the patent-protected technology of optical adhesives.
ACTIVE OPTICES NightN LLC has presented the adaptive optical systems being developed on the basis of the bimorph rubber mirrors and mirrors based on the piezo pushers. The distinctions between the systems are made in the mirror surface correction time. They are used for moving the high-power laser radiation or for more precise focusing of the laser beam on the target surface.
The unmanned aerial vehicle with a thermal imaging camera UAV‑400T and the Astron‑1K120 gyro-stabilized complex made by Astron Experimental Design Bureau are designed for the remote object identification. A thermal imaging system based on the home-made bolometric matrices makes it possible to identify the objects with various thermal signatures. The Astron‑1K120 unit provides an ability to identify the small-sized objects at the distances of more than 1000 meters in the conditions of meteorological disturbances. This unit is designed for installation on the light unmanned aerial vehicles, small-sized boats and vehicles. There are other artificial vision systems for the air navigation complexes based on other principles, for example, on the separation of polarized radiation against the background of reflected signal, as proposed by R-AERO.
The unique devices for measuring the meteorological atmospheric parameters, namely the SKYDEX 15 cloud-range indicator and the WINDEX 300 continuous wind lidar, are presented on the exhibition display of Laser Systems. This company provides series production of such devices. It has demonstrated the samples of parts produced from the metal powders by the selective laser melting using the serial 3D printers made by Laser Systems – M250 and M350 (the company showed this installation at the MetalWorking exhibition).
The Institute of Laser and Welding Technologies of the Saint-Petersburg State Marine Technical University has exhibited an ILIST-M robot-assisted unit for direct laser growing. It has become possible to grow an item in real time using an additive technology. This plant is industrial, but can be used as a module for professional training.
A large range of projects, the emphasis of which is on the modular vocational training, is presented by the Perm Research and Production Instrument Company. The company is an industrial partner of the Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative “Photonics” established under the auspices of the Perm State University (Perm State National Research University). At a joint booth, they have demonstrated various materials, components and systems for integrated security based on the fiber-optics technologies for industrial and transport infrastructure.
The most striking event of the exhibition was the Scientific and Practice Conference of the XI Congress of the Photonics Technological Platform. A part of this conference was the sessions held in the key areas of photonics industry. One meeting at a local platform of specialists who are developing and consuming a variety of photonics products has a much higher potential efficiency than several meetings at the highly specialized exhibitions. However, we will go on talking about this aspect later.
What assumptions can be made based on the review of Photonics‑2023?
There are more lasers. However, availability of large-scale leaders will not allow small-sized companies to develop their business without integration of the laser as a product with a specific technology.
The laser technology mainstream is the field of material processing, where two areas are steadily developing: micromachining and processing of large-sized metal products.
The most demanded field in metal processing is the laser processing not of external, but of internal surfaces, their grinding, hardening and build-up.
Micromachining is focused on marking and introduction of microelectronics into the production processes.
It is a fact, but the photonic technologies are a driver of microelectronics while simultaneously becoming the result of microelectronics.
There Are More Lasers
N. L. Istomina 1, 2
Moscow Aviation Institute, National Research University, Moscow, Russia
Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography, Moscow, Russia
The laser, optical and optoelectronic technologies play an important role in the upgrade of a number of backbone sectors of the Russian national economy and its innovative development. Based on a brief overview of the products exhibited at PHOTONICS‑2023, an attempt was made to highlight the trends in the tech business in the field of photonics.
Keywords: photonics, tech business trends, laser equipment market, optical, optoelectronic technologies
Article received: June 13, 2023
Article accepted: June 20, 2023
The Photonics‑2023 exhibition has been finished, the awards have found their winners, the scheduled contracts and agreements have been concluded and signed in a solemn atmosphere, and now it is time to prepare new projects. With the benefit of hindsight, we will assess the exhibition results.
The exhibit display was located in the same Forum pavilion of the Moscow Expocentre, as in the previous year, but the exposition was increased by 20% and occupied an area over 3,000 square meters. Most of the 164 exhibitors were its permanent participants. However, there were also the newcomers – more than 20 companies that ensured the increased area. Some of the companies presented their products at the collective stands of corporations and foundations: Rostec State Corporation, Rosatom State Corporation, Zelenograd Development Corporation, Skolkovo Foundation, Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative “Photonics”. According to the promoters, the exhibition was visited by more than 8,000 people that showed an increase in the number of visitors by 37% compared to the previous year [1]. According to Denis Manturov, the minister of industry and trade, Russia is included in a very limited “club of leaders” in the field of photonics [2].
The range of presented products has not changed, but it is noticeable that there are more lasers. Among them there are the products of Russian companies and Chinese manufacturers that have come to Russia to replace the withdrawn European and American companies. The consumers have asked the questions related to the wavelength, beam parameter M², power energy per pulse, pulse recurrence rate and cost. However, few people think about their service life, and the service life of the systems where they are integrated also depends on this fact.
IRE-Polyus, being the leader of the Russian laser market, has presented a line of ytterbium fiber lasers of the YLS (Ytterbium Fiber Laser Systems) series with various power values that can be easily integrated into the machines for various purposes: from micromachining to welding and cutting. LASSARD presented its fiber and solid-state lasers, as well as the laser heads (quantrones) with transverse diode pumping that are made at the production site in Obninsk.
Avesta, the company based in Troitsk, produces the ultra-short pulsed lasers, both of fiber and solid-state types. Their lasers with femtosecond pulse duration have long gained the lead in their area. NordLase also presented its fiber-optics laser, namely a single-mode ytterbium fiber laser NL-YFLM‑1080–1000 with a M² beam parameter of about 1.2.
Polarus LLC is actively bringing the home-made fiber-optics lasers to the market with ultra-short pulses of picosecond duration. The target market for the application of Polarus LLC technology is material processing using the ultra-short laser pulses. The key tech feature is application of a highly doped phosphate optical fiber and pulsed electrical pumping of the master laser diode. For the first time, Scientific and Production Association “Soliton” participates in the exhibition with supercontinuum fiber sources covering the wavelength range from 350 to 2400 nm with an output power of up to 5 W.
Moreover, the Russian distributors offer the Russian and imported lasers to the prospective consumers. LLS supplies the laser diode modules and supercontinuum lasers. The Special Systems. Photonics company presents the single-frequency fiber-optics lasers, nanosecond ND : YAG and ND : YLF lasers, picosecond and femtosecond lasers, as well as the tunable supercontinuum sources. Despite the variety of technical peculiarities, all laser manufacturers strive to develop a tool for its future integration into the laser systems for production of other high-tech items.
There are a lot of different areas, therefore, there are a lot of different laser systems. Of course, the global trends are focused on material processing: over the past 35 years the average market growth rate for laser systems aimed at the material processing is 10.5%, the same indicator for machining is 3%. The sales dynamics for the laser micromachining systems demonstrates a steady growth. The largest volume of the Russian material processing market in 2022 is accounted for marking and engraving in the amount of 47 million US dollars [3].
The reason is not only in the strive to comply with the requirements of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 792 dated April 28, 2018 “On approval of the list of individual commodities subject to the mandatory labeling with the identification aids”. Such marking complies with the digital twin policy, process automation, industrial focus on recording and control of products and their components, technology digitalization, Internet of things. The lasers are used in all situations where speed and precision are required to solve many problems.
Photonics in Russia is a field for collisions of various opinions and creative concepts. While science is discovering new physical phenomena, the tech business is increasing its production facilities in close cooperation with it. The main business models used by the companies in this area are B2B (Business to Business) and B2G (Business to Government). This is the policy of Laser Center that holds strong positions in the market of micromachining tools. Its laser solutions, such as TurboMarker, can not only perform the marking and engraving functions, but can be easily integrated into the industrial process chains, allowing to develop the unique identification marks for quality control and counterfeit protection. The Lasers and Equipment Group of Companies has consolidated its position in the micromachining market in the field of laser-beam cutting, drilling, structuring, welding, cleaning, marking for microelectronics. The Central Research Institute of Laser Equipment and Technology, being a resident of the Skolkovo Foundation, is developing the PRO Laser system for laser processing of precious metals for the jewelry industry and GOZNAK enterprises.
Many companies have presented the laser systems for tasks in the field of welding, cutting, surfacing, and thermal strengthening. Numerous proposals have been concentrated in the field of laser metal cutting. It has turned out that due to the healthcare needs for pure oxygen during the pandemic, there was a shortage of oxygen required for industrial oxygen cutting of metals. Therefore, the laser ability to cut metal in the air is in demand. Such systems are demonstrated by LASSARD that applies the IRE-Polyus fiber-optics lasers in its portal-frame machines.
Surprisingly, the similar products, namely, the manual devices for laser cleaning of metal surfaces, are presented by several companies at once: Laser Center (TurboClean), Pokkels (IPG LightCLEAN), LASSARD (CLEANER CASE). Obviously, the marketing specialist of these companies are confident that there will be demand for their tools.
The exposition has also included the unique laser systems, for example, the FL-Cut-G‑4716 glass plate laser processing unit made by IRE-Polyus, or the MEL‑3.0 robot-assisted laser station by Thermolaser for local hardening, surfacing and alloying of products with the comprehensive internal and external surfaces, including the channel ones. Laticom has provided a laser system for thermal strengthening and welding based on the solid-state lasers. Its multiaxial positioning system of the laser emitter ensures processing of the parts with complex configurations. This equipment is applicable for repair of the three-dimensional molds, casting molds, dies and other tools made of metal and alloys. A closed form solution for the laser beam stabilization using a controlled mirror with a piezoelectric drive is demonstrated by Avesta.
Another exhibition feature has been frank admission of the fact that the photonic technologies are the driver of microelectronics, while simultaneously becoming the results of microelectronics, such as the quantum cascade lasers. These two technological areas are closely intertwined, and many issues are typical for both microelectronics and photonics, such as development of the materials engineering basis, high demand for various monocrystal materials (GaAs, GaN, InP, InSb, CdTe, ZnCdTe, ZnSe), complexity of dislocation-free growth of crystalline ingots. The published results of recent studies devoted to the growth of dislocation-free Ge crystals have shown that it is a promising material for nanosized electronic devices and integration of optical functions in the logic circuits.
Therefore, it has been reasonable for the large laser companies to present their equipment for scribing, marking, micromachining and soldering during the production of microelectronics devices: Laser Center, Lasers and Equipment Group of Companies.
GN Tech (GN Tech LLC), the Russian company, has demonstrated an expanded range of plasma processing units for materials as a preparatory process for cleaning the microelectronic, photonic and optical surfaces from residual organic and inorganic contaminants, improving the adhesion of thin-film coatings, soldering and unsoldering quality, and modifying the surface properties.
TIR PHOTONICS, a resident of the Skolkovo Foundation, has developed a production technology for the optical integrated circuits with a chip size (QPICs) of <1 cm2 and showed a prototype. The technology readiness level (TRL) of the product is equal to 5, i. е. the sample is made with the actual dimensions according to the semi-industrial (applied in the production conditions, but not being a part of the production process) technology.
Among the exhibitors were Gpixel, a global manufacturer of CMOS sensors for a wide range of applications, and RMT, a manufacturer of pocket-type thermoelectric cooling units for telecommunications, industry and other applications. The standard product range includes more than 2000 various types of thermoelectric coolers.
TechnoSpark, the Troitsk group that establishes the technological startups, has presented the projects of its budding companies. The CVD-Spark’s project is related to the synthesis technology based on the polycrystalline diamond by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The diamonds made by CVD-Spark are used as the heat sinks for power electronics and microelectronics. OptiSpark has the equipment and competencies of advanced design and application methods for the comprehensive optical coatings. Sometimes the application time of multilayer functional coatings to develop the optical elements with the desired properties for lasers, lenses or sophisticated light filters reaches 11 hours.
In addition to the diamond, sapphire also has chemical stability, heat resistance and mechanical strength. After the sapphire production market meltdown, many companies have come cropper. However, there are still those companies that have been able to grow complex original parts on the basis of sapphire. Such companies engaged in the growth of non-uniform sapphire products include Rostox-N CJSC. Among various samples in its exhibit booth, there are sapphire bearings and friction pairs. Similar products, but with much smaller overall dimensions that implies other conditions of use, are brought by BCG Production from Armenia. Its products are subject to a full cycle of mechanical and optical operations, including application of the antireflection and mirror coatings.
Certainly, the unique products that can be uneasily opposed to the competitors have also been demonstrated. For example, Tydex being a company well-known for its components and devices for a wide range of wavelengths (from the deep UV to terahertz range), has shown its THz-aspherical f-theta lenses, microwave radiation wire polarizers, THz high-pass filters, and a new model of a pulsed terahertz spectrometer THz TDS‑2.
Soliton has shown its competences in the development of intrafibrous Bragg gratings for application in the wavelength range of 900–1650 nm. The Belarusian companies have demonstrated their proficiency in application of the optical coatings and optical splicing based on the patent-protected technology of optical adhesives.
ACTIVE OPTICES NightN LLC has presented the adaptive optical systems being developed on the basis of the bimorph rubber mirrors and mirrors based on the piezo pushers. The distinctions between the systems are made in the mirror surface correction time. They are used for moving the high-power laser radiation or for more precise focusing of the laser beam on the target surface.
The unmanned aerial vehicle with a thermal imaging camera UAV‑400T and the Astron‑1K120 gyro-stabilized complex made by Astron Experimental Design Bureau are designed for the remote object identification. A thermal imaging system based on the home-made bolometric matrices makes it possible to identify the objects with various thermal signatures. The Astron‑1K120 unit provides an ability to identify the small-sized objects at the distances of more than 1000 meters in the conditions of meteorological disturbances. This unit is designed for installation on the light unmanned aerial vehicles, small-sized boats and vehicles. There are other artificial vision systems for the air navigation complexes based on other principles, for example, on the separation of polarized radiation against the background of reflected signal, as proposed by R-AERO.
The unique devices for measuring the meteorological atmospheric parameters, namely the SKYDEX 15 cloud-range indicator and the WINDEX 300 continuous wind lidar, are presented on the exhibition display of Laser Systems. This company provides series production of such devices. It has demonstrated the samples of parts produced from the metal powders by the selective laser melting using the serial 3D printers made by Laser Systems – M250 and M350 (the company showed this installation at the MetalWorking exhibition).
The Institute of Laser and Welding Technologies of the Saint-Petersburg State Marine Technical University has exhibited an ILIST-M robot-assisted unit for direct laser growing. It has become possible to grow an item in real time using an additive technology. This plant is industrial, but can be used as a module for professional training.
A large range of projects, the emphasis of which is on the modular vocational training, is presented by the Perm Research and Production Instrument Company. The company is an industrial partner of the Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative “Photonics” established under the auspices of the Perm State University (Perm State National Research University). At a joint booth, they have demonstrated various materials, components and systems for integrated security based on the fiber-optics technologies for industrial and transport infrastructure.
The most striking event of the exhibition was the Scientific and Practice Conference of the XI Congress of the Photonics Technological Platform. A part of this conference was the sessions held in the key areas of photonics industry. One meeting at a local platform of specialists who are developing and consuming a variety of photonics products has a much higher potential efficiency than several meetings at the highly specialized exhibitions. However, we will go on talking about this aspect later.
What assumptions can be made based on the review of Photonics‑2023?
There are more lasers. However, availability of large-scale leaders will not allow small-sized companies to develop their business without integration of the laser as a product with a specific technology.
The laser technology mainstream is the field of material processing, where two areas are steadily developing: micromachining and processing of large-sized metal products.
The most demanded field in metal processing is the laser processing not of external, but of internal surfaces, their grinding, hardening and build-up.
Micromachining is focused on marking and introduction of microelectronics into the production processes.
It is a fact, but the photonic technologies are a driver of microelectronics while simultaneously becoming the result of microelectronics.
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